Had the intelligence information received on the terror attacks that took place on the 21st of April was given to the churches on time, the Easter Sunday Masses scheduled for the day could have been cancelled, President’s Counsel Shamil Perera told the court on behalf of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.

The twelve Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were taken up again before the Supreme Court today (04).

President’s Counsel Shamil Perera further told the court that the carnage could have been prevented if necessary measures were taken. 

He added that the Cardinal is presenting submissions to the court in this regard to seek justice for the victims of the carnage on Easter Sunday which killed more than 250 while injuring over 500 persons.

The twelve Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara for allegedly failing to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks and thereby violating fundamental human rights were taken up before a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.

Twelve parties including the Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL), a businessman engaged in the tourism sector named Janak Sri Vidanage and Saman Nandana Sirimanne, a father who had lost his son and daughter in the attack on April 21st had lodged the FR petitions.

The BASL yesterday (03) told the Supreme Court that 97 intelligence reports on National Thowheed Jama’ath leader Zahran Hashim had been submitted to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the former Defence Secretary, from 2016 to April 21 this year.